Wigs were waving over it, and lawyers were taking their
fees, and there was no end of it, upon which the Barebones people,
after deliberation about it, thought it was expedient, and commanded
by the Author of Man and the Fountain of Justice, and for the true
and right, to abolish the court. Really, I don't know who could have
dissented from that opinion. At the same time, it was thought by those
who were wiser, and had more experience of the world, that it was a
very dangerous thing, and would never suit at all. The lawyers began
to make an immense noise about it. (Laughter.) All the public, the
great mass of solid and well-disposed people who had got no deep
insight into such matters, were very adverse to it, and the president
of it, old Sir Francis Rous, who translated the Psalms--those that
we sing every Sunday in the church yet--a very good man and a wise
man--the Provost of Eton--he got the minority, or I don't know whether
or no he did not persuade the majority--he, at any rate, got a great
number of the Parliament to go to Oliver the Dictator, and lay
down their functions altogether, and declare officially with their
signature on Monday morning that the Parliament was dissolved.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148